NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to SIXTEEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews (around 30?): from Breaking Points / ScheerPost, the Associated Press, Agence France-Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Consortium News, and TomDispatch via CN; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-16-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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Washington’s public swagger meets private panic over Iran. From Breaking Points and ScheerPost. The White House is denying that special envoy Steve Witkoff sent back-channel messages to Iranian officials during the current war—but the denial itself is beginning to look like another chapter in Washington’s increasingly frantic damage control. Click HERE for video of interview and ScheerPost print intro.

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Ali Larijani, believed to be running Iran since the beginning of the war, is killed in a strike. From AP. DUBAI — Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official and a conservative force within Iran’s theocracy, was killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed Tuesday. He was 67. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from NPR, and HERE for all five or so Iran war-related NPR reports from this evening’s “All Things Considered” program. 

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Top U.S. counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iraq war. From AP. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, has announced his resignation, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war in Iran. Click HERE to read, and HERE and HERE for links to who knows how many Iran war-related reports from AP. Click HERE for commentary from ScheerPost.

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U.S. does ‘not need’ allies’s help on Iran, Trump says. From AFP. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, whose call for assistance from allies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic has largely been rebuffed, said today that U.S. forces “no longer need” military help in the Iran war. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for a version of same AFP report in French, and HERE for others. Click HERE for later AP report, and HERE and HERE for same report and others in Spanish.

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Israel rejects de-escalation offers; Israel says it has killed Iranian security chief, by Parisa Hafezi, Jana Choukeir and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  Israel claimed today to have killed Iran’s security chief, while a senior Iranian ​official said the new supreme leader had rejected de-escalation offers conveyed by intermediaries, demanding Israel and the U.S. first be “brought to their knees.” READ MORE . . .

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Israel says it killed 2 top Iranian officials in wartime blow to country’s leadership, by Jon Gambrell, David Rising, Mike Corder and Samy Magdy | AP  DUBAI — Israel said Tuesday it killed two senior Iranian security officials in overnight strikes in a major blow to the country’s leadership. Iran, which did not immediately confirm either death, fired new salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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How NATO countries are reacting to Trump’s request for help with the Strait of Hormuz. A Martínez of NPR asks Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund of the United States how NATO regards President Trump’s request for help to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for links to all eight Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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FROM MARCH 16  Israeli military says missiles from Iran heading towards Israel. From AFP. Israel’s military said on Tuesday that missiles launched from Iran were heading towards its territory, calling on people in affected areas to head to shelters.  READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AFP brief report in French, and HERE for headlines of others.

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FROM MARCH 16  EU rejects Trump’s request to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Reported by Teri Schultz and Ailsa Chang | NPR  The European Union has rejected President Trump’s request to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying the war is “not theirs.” Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all three Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program.

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FROM MARCH 16  Iran, at UN, insists will not submit to ‘lawless aggression.’ From AFP. Iran vowed at the United Nations on Monday that it would not submit to “lawless aggression,” and said its citizens were in “grave danger” from U.S. and Israeli strikes. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 16  Trump upset as U.S. partners reject call for Hormuz warship escorts. From Reuters. Several U.S. allies rebuffed Donald Trump’s call on Monday to send warships to escort tankers through ‌the Strait of Hormuz, drawing criticism from the U.S. President, who accused Western partners of ingratitude after decades of support. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 15  Watch: ‘The view from Tehran.’ Joe Lauria of Consortium News talks again, somehow, with Sayed Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran on Sunday on the war as he is experiencing it in Iran’s capital city — or elsewhere. Click HERE for Lauria’s print introduction and their talk. 

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FROM MARCH 15  Imperial decline in the Strait of Hormuz, by Alfred McCoy | TomDispatch / Consortium News  In the first chapter of his 1874 novel The Gilded Age, Mark Twain offered a telling observation about the connection between past and present. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to ELEVEN-plus reports (14 or more): from the Associated Press, Anadolu Ajansi, CNBC, Reuters, the Cradle, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, and CBS News, and to an article of commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-15-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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Israel steps up campaign in Lebanon, as Iran keeps stranglehold on shipping, by David Rising, Bassem Mroue and Samy Magdy | AP  BEIRUT — The war in the Middle East raged on multiple fronts today, as the U.S. and Israel pummeled military targets in Iran’s capital, Israel stepped up its campaign against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Iran retaliated with a drone strike that temporarily shut Dubai’s airport, a crucial hub for travelers. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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U.S. allows Iranian oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz to maintain global supply: Treasury secretary, by Yasin Gungor | Anadolu  ISTANBUL — The U.S. is allowing Iranian oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz in order to maintain global oil supplies, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said today in Paris. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same Anadolu report in French, and HERE for others. Click HERE for report from CNBC.

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Israel says it has plans for three weeks of war as airstrikes pound Iran. From Reuters. In a briefing today, Israeli military spokesperson Lieutentant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters there are detailed operational plans for the war with Iran in place for the next three weeks, along with additional plans extending further ahead. READ MORE . . .

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Fears of a global energy crisis rise as Iran keeps stranglehold on shipping and hits Dubai airport, by David Rising, Sally Abou and Will Weisert | AP  BEIRUT — The war in the Middle East rages on, with more U.S.-Israeli strikes today on Tehran, Iran’s capital and Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon. An Iranian drone strike temporarily shut Dubai’s airport, a crucial global travel hub, underscoring the threats to the world economy. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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‘Not our war’: Trump’s naval coalition to reopen Strait of Hormuz dead in the water. From the Cradle. Several countries have either rejected or expressed serious concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to form a coalition aimed at escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has closed to Washington and its allies in retaliation for the brutal U.S.-Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for reports from AFP / AFP in English and French.

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Iran blocks vital oil route as Israel expands its ground operations in Lebanon. Reported by Daniel Estrin and A Martínez | NPR  As the war in Iran enters its third week, there’s no end in sight. Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route, as Trump urges allies to act and Israel expands its ground operations.  Click HERE to listen and, later, read; and HERE for all four Iran war-related reports from NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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FROM MARCH 15  Iranian foreign minister says ‘we don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans,’ by Kaia Hubbard | CBS News  “We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday  on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” As the war entered its third week, President Trump has claimed in recent days that Iran wants to reach a deal. Click HERE for report including video of interview.

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FROM MARCH 15  An Iranian-American writer describes the ‘vertigo’ he feels about the war. Reported by Adrian Ma, Daniel Ofman, Michael Levitt and William Troop | NPR  Ma speaks about the war with Iranian-American writer Nick Mafi, who says many Iranians in the U.S. feel a sense of vertigo. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MARCH 13  U.S.-Iran conflict turns into prolonged attrition, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline   “The will of the people,” Iran’s new Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, stated on Thursday, “is is to continue effective defence.” In sharp contrast with President Trump’s style . . . READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to SIXTEEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews (at least 20): from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, the Cradle, Middle East Eye, MintPress News, Consortium News, CGTN America, VRIC Media and Substack; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-14-26.)

Gulf Arab states intercept new missiles and drones as Iran threatens to widen the war, by Sam Metz, Samy Magdy and Julia Frankel | AP   CAIRO — Gulf Arab states reported new missile and drone attacks today after Iran threatened to widen its campaign and called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates as the war in the Middle East, now in its third week, expands further. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Trump is threatening to bomb oil facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island. Ayesha Rascoe of NPR speaks with Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, about the potential impact of a strike on oil facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all five or so Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning.

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Israel  ‘running low’ on ballistic missile interceptors: report. From the Cradle. Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors, as Israel’s long-range defense system comes under strain from Iran’s attacks, Semafor reported today, citing U.S. officials. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  President Trump orders a Marine rapid response force to Middle East. Jane Arraf of NPR spoke from the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, on developments in the war in the Middle East. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MARCH 14  Tehran claims the U.S. attacked it from the UAE as Iran war enters its third week, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Mednick, Konstantin Toropin and Samy Magdy | AP DUBAI — Iran urged people Saturday to evacuate the Middle East’s busiest port and two others in the United Arab Emirates, openly threatening a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time as its war with the United States and Israel entered a third week. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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U.S., Israel using Shahed-inspired LUCAS drone for ‘false flags’ across region: Iran FM. From the Cradle. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today the U.S. has been using its new Lucas drone — modeled after the Iranian Shahed — to carry out false flag attacks in the region and attribute them to the Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . .

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Iran denies responsibility for drone attacks on Iraqi oil refinery and elsewhere. From Middle East Eye. Iran denied responsibility for a drone attack on the Lanaz oil refinery in Iraq’s Kurdish region, Iranian media reported, citing an informed security source. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  Iran mulls allowing tankers through Strait of Hormuz if trade conducted in yuan: report. From the Cradle. Iran is considering allowing a “limited number” of oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on the condition that the oil cargo is traded in Chinese yuan, CNN reported on Saturday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 13  EU states seek ‘talks’ with Iran for access to Strait of Hormuz: report. From the Cradle. European countries have been reaching out to Iran for negotiations to allow their vessels to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz, informed sources told the Financial Times. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  U.S. Embassy in Baghdad again urges Americans to leave Iraq as Trump touts strikes on Iran. From NPR. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad once more renewed a call for Americans to leave Iraq, after a drone strike hit the embassy compound in the capital’s heavily guarded Green Zone. Also on Saturday President Trump asserted that the U.S. military had “destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capability,” and that . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  Iranians grapple with whether to flee the country because of the war, by Sam McNeil and Serra Yedikardes | AP  KAPIKOY BORDER CROSSING, Turkey — Some of the 3.2 million people the UN refugee agency estimates have been displaced are seeking shelter in safer parts of Iran or one of its neighboring countries; others are returning from abroad, heading toward the fighting to protect their families and homes. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  Tehran claims the U.S. attacked it from the UAE as Iran war enters its third week, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Mednick, Konstantin Toropin and Samy Magdy | AP DUBAI — Iran urged people Saturday to evacuate the Middle East’s busiest port and two others in the United Arab Emirates, openly threatening a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time as its war with the United States and Israel entered a third week. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM MARCH 14  U.S. Embassy in Baghdad again urges Americans to leave Iraq as Trump touts strikes on Iran. From NPR. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad once more renewed a call for Americans to leave Iraq, after a drone strike hit the embassy compound in the capital’s heavily guarded Green Zone. Also on Saturday President Trump asserted that the U.S. military had “destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capability,” and that . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. energy producers earning ‘billions’ amid rising oil prices due to war on Iran: report. From the Cradle. U.S. oil companies are expected to receive a windfall of more than $60bn this year if crude prices remain high in response to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, the Financial Times reported today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 12  Iran strikes U.S. 5th Fleet base, Bahrain erupts in uprising & and Saudi forces move to crush dissent, by Robert Inlakesh | MintPress News  With round the clock missile and drone strikes, civil unrest, damage to vital infrastructure and even rumors that its leader has fled, chaos has characterized the state of affairs in Bahrain. READ MORE . . .

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Four interviews: with former CIA officer John Kiriakou HERE; with Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University HERE; with retired U.S. Army Col. Douglas Macgregor HERE; and with Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago, HERE.

(Kiriakou spoke with Joe Lauria of Consortium News last night, Sachs with Anand Naidoo of CGTN America yesterday, Macgregor with Darrell Thomas of VRIC Media yesterday, and Mearsheimer with Chris Hedges of the Chris Hedges Report on Wednesday.)

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

First, links to FIVE-plus reports (9) and an advisory: from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-13-26 and LEBANON and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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ADVISORY  To watch: The World This Week w/John Kiriakou, at 8 p.m EDT. Joe Lauria, editor-in-chief of Consortium News, talks with ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou about the spread of the war in Iran, Israel and on U.S. bases as while Gulf Arabs reconsider U.S. ties and the U.S. reportedly considers a ground invasion. Click HERE at or shortly after 8 p.m. to livestream talk, or for subsequent video.

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Tehran threatens Middle East’s busiest port as Iran war enters its third week, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Mednick, Konstantin Toropin and Samy Magdy | AP  DUBAI — Iran openly threatened a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time today, warning people to immediately evacuate the busiest port in the Middle East and two others in the United Arab Emirates. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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The latest on the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran after 2 weeks. Reported by Carrie Kahn, Hannah Bloch and Scott Simon | NPR  The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran two weeks ago. Most recently, six U.S. personnel died in a plane crash in Iraq, Iran vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, and more Marines are headed to the region. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for all four Iran war-related reports on this morning’s NPR “Weekend Edition Saturday” program.

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U.S. military bombs Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, Trump says. From NPR. President Trump said on Friday the U.S. military had “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.” READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 13  Life under bombing in Tehran: The diary of an Iranian writer paints a vivid picture. Reported by Ruth Sherlock | NPR  In written messages and voice notes, one resident of Tehran gives a rare and intimate portrayal of life in the Iranian capital under constant bombardment. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for two other Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program.

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Linka to two reports from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on its name as highlighted. (Scroll down for LEBANON 3-14-26.  Scroll up or down for IRAN and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills 17 medical staff, by Heba Nasser | Middle East Eye  Doctors, nurses and paramedics were among the 17 killed late Friday in an Israeli direct attack on a primary healthcare centre in the border village of Burj Qalawiyeh in the Bint Jbeil district, health authorities said today. READ MORE . . .

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Israel and Lebanon expected to hold direct talks, Haaretz says. From Middle East Eye. Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days, their first since the start of the war on Iran that has drawn Lebanon deeper into conflict, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today citing two sources. READ MORE . . .

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First, links to TWO reports: from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for UKRAINE 2-25--26 (or click HERE*). Scroll up for IRAN and LEBANON.) — MCM

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Russian strike on Kyiv region kills 4 people and wounds 15 as peace talks are stalled, by Susie Blann | AP  KYIV — A combined Russian missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region killed at least four people and wounded 15, a Ukrainian official said today, after the United States postponed Russia-Ukraine talksdue to the war with Iran. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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* “Comments” section doesn’t work.

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Linka to two reports from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on its name as highlighted. (Scroll down for LEBANON 3-14-26.  Scroll up for IRAN and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills 17 medical staff, by Heba Nasser | Middle East Eye  Doctors, nurses and paramedics were among the 17 killed late Friday in an Israeli direct attack on a primary healthcare centre in the border village of Burj Qalawiyeh in the Bint Jbeil district, health authorities said today. READ MORE . . .

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Israel and Lebanon expected to hold direct talks, Haaretz says. From Middle East Eye. Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days, their first since the start of the war on Iran that has drawn Lebanon deeper into conflict, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today citing two sources. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Late start today. I did some marketing of the blog with some people standing out with signs along U.S. Routes 7 and 20 in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Please return later. — MCM

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to TWENTY-plus reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews (more than 30): from Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Le Monde, the Jerusalem Post, the Cradle, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, Reuters, National Public Radio, ScheerPost, and El País; others are accessible by clickng on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-12-26 and LEBANON.) — MCM

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Day 14 of U.S.-Israel attacks, by Elizabeth Melimopoulos of Al Jazeera and news agencies. A summary. Click HERE to read, and HERE for Iran war video reports.

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Blast rocks Tehran after Israel threatened to target area where pro-government rally was being held, by Jon Gambrell, David Rising and Sally Aljoud  | AP  DUBAI — A large explosion rocked an area of Iran’s capital where thousands were gathered today for the annual state-organized Quds Day to support the Palestinians and call for Israel’s demise. Israel had earlier warned . . . READ MORE . . .

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Air raid sirens in Tel Aviv after warning Iranian missiles fired. From AFP. Several blasts have been heard after air raid sirens sounded in Israel’s commercial hub, Tel Aviv, AFP journalists report, following a warning from the military that missiles had been fired from Iran. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report in French from Le Monde, and HERE and HERE for others in English and French. Click HERE and HERE for headlines of some AFP / AFP reports in English and French.

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Intact warhead likely hit Zarzir despite successful interception, IDF says, by Yonah Jeremy Bob, and Aaron Glick | The Jerusalem Post  The ballistic missile impact on the northern Israeli community of Zarzir is believed to have been caused by the warhead remaining intact despite a successful interception, the IDF stated today. READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  U.S. confirms four troops killed in crash as Iraqi resistance claims downing of aircraft.  From the Cradle. U.S. CENTCOM confirmed in a statement today the deaths of four servicemembers whose refueling aircraft went down over Iraq Thursday night, after the Iraqi resistance announced that its forces struck the plane down. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Middle East Monitor.

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Dubai financial hub hit by intercepted drone after Iran threatens banks. From Middle East Eye. The Dubai International Financial Centre has been damaged after debris from an intercepted Iranian drone attack caused a fire. Footage shared on social media this morning showed a thick plume of smoke rising from a building in the financial zone of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 12  UAE says it intercepted 278 missile and 1,540 drones since start of Iranian attacks. From Middle East Monitor. The United Arab Emirates said Thursday that air defenses engaged 278 ballistic missiles, 1,540 drones, and 15 cruise missiles since the outset of Iranian attacks late last month, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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CNN correspondent shares his takeaways from his recent visit to Iran. Steve Inskeep of NPR asks CNN’s Fred Pleitgen about what he learned during his reporting trip to Iran. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for links to all nine reports on NPR’s “Morning Edition” program.

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FROM MARCH 12  U.S. military refueling plane crashes in Iraq and rescue is underway, by Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin | AP  WASHINGTON — An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, U.S. Central Command said Thursday. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM MARCH 12  Theft of  ‘AI-powered drones’ from U.S. army base sparks fears of potential false flag attack. From the Cradle. U.S. Army investigators are offering a reward of up to $5,000 after four military drones were stolen last year, stoking fears they could be used in a false flag attack on U.S. soil. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 12  Iran-linked hackers take aim at U.S. and other targets, raising risk of cyberattacks during war, by David Klepper | AP  WASHINGTON — Pro-Iranian hackers are targeting sites in the Middle East and starting to stretch into the United States during the war, raising the risk of American defense contractors, power stations and water plants being swept into a wave of digital chaos that could expand if Tehran’s allies join the fray. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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With Iran war exit elusive, U.S. President Donald Trump’s aides vie to affect outcome. From Reuters. A complex tug-of-war inside the White House is driving U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting public statements on the course of the Iran war, as aides debate when and how to declare victory even as the conflict spreads across the Middle East. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 12  Khameni’s killing raises old questions about U.S. assassinating foreign leaders. Reported by Ryan Lucas | NPR  The killing of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei raises questions about whether the U.S. as a democracy should be in the business of assassinating foreign leaders. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all seven Iran war-related reports Thursday on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program. Click HERE for report today from NPR.

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Iraq is caught in the crossfire of the Iran war, with attacks by both sides on its soil, by Samya Kullab | AP  IRBIL, Iraq — Iraq is getting caught in the crossfire of the Iran war as the only country facing strikes from both sides, and that threatens to drag the nation that has so far avoided two years of regional turmoil into a full-blown crisis. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 12  A war spreading faster than diplomacy. From ScheerPost. A summary of developments. Click HERE to read.

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Iran war is one ‘TACO’ too far, by Jamie McGeever | Reuters  The “Trump always chickens out” investment strategy, buying beaten-down stocks on the assumption that the U.S. president will ultimately back down from his more extreme policies, has, for the most part, been a profitable one. READ MORE . . .

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Military victory, political stalemate: The U.S.’s strategic myopia in the Middle East, by Piotr Smolar | Le Monde  WASHINGTON — Jake Sullivan was still national security adviser to Joe Biden at the end of September 2023 when he made what would become a famous remark: “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades.” READ MORE . . .

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Iran challenges the powerful U.S. Navy in an asymmetric naval battle in the Gulf, by Oscár Gutiérrez | El País  MADRID — The largest U.S. naval deployment since the 2003 invasion of Iraq has decimated the Iranian navy. Washington has sent . . . Click HERE for report including some video, and HERE for same El País report in Spanish. 

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